I Have To Break Down The Corners Of This World
by DefrostingSteve
Summary: Steve Rogers and Tony Stark confront homphobic thoughts, drunken heart-to-hearts and personal issues as they try to make the relationship they desire to have work.
1. Chapter 1

After the fight, the Avengers had stayed close together, keeping in contact, checking up on each other. The battle was over, but they weren't, you don't fight against beings from another planet without some type of connection being formed between you. They all knew how each other worked, they all knew what made each other tick, and they all got on. They worked as a team, even when they weren't fighting as one anymore.

Tony was, of course, in his tower, no longer living there with Pepper. After the fight, Pepper said she couldn't handle all the drama anymore, and she left. Tony being Tony, threw himself into his work, throwing all his emotions into his creations.

Bruce had stayed in New York. Now he knew he was surrounded by people that could handle 'the other guy', he wasn't as scared anymore. He knew that he was stronger than all the others when he changed, but they had weapons that could stop him harming others. Bruce now lived in a little house, out in the most isolated part of the New York that he could find. Which wasn't very isolated at all really.

Natasha and Clint, nobody knew where they lived, just like nobody ever did. Tony hacked the S.H.I.E.L.D. network, but even S.H.I.E.L.D. didn't know. They came by when they had finished their missions, sometimes they told the others what had happened, laughing about the near-death experience over shawarma, and other times they kept quiet about everything in their life and changed the topic of conversation.

As Thor was in Asgard now, that just left… Steve. Steve Rogers, who was good at everything, just not in this generation. He didn't know what he was doing. He didn't understand the electronics of this day and age, and he couldn't grasp the transport. Wherever he went, it was full of crowds of pushing each other, and as Steve was ever the gentlemen, he would let others go in front of him until the transport had gone and he was stood alone, confused at what had just happened.

Steve stayed in his apartment S.H.I.E.L.D. had issued him, keeping to himself, reading the books he used to love and drawing whatever occupied his mind. The majority of the time, Steve would draw the others, fighting, laughing, arguing, all around a table sitting in their own different ways. But whenever he drew them, he wasn't in the drawings. He wasn't one of them, because he couldn't be, he wasn't from their time, and he knew this. He was the odd one out, and nothing would stop that.

All the Avengers dropped by on Steve, giving him electronic devices and sitting with him for hours until he had a little understanding of it. Clint took him an iPod, loaded with music from the 1930's and 40's, which Steve could work simply because he was stubborn enough that he made himself work it, until he was listening to the music that he loved. Natasha took him a phone, which Steve could understand how to unlock and ring someone, but the rest he couldn't wrap his head around. Banner brought a collection of books; classic novels, one or two books from every genre Bruce could think of that were based in the last ten years, but mostly to Steve's delight, non-fiction books, describing with immense detail, motorcycles and airplanes, and the changes that had happened to them from since they were made up to the present day. Tony never went down, refusing to until at least Steve came up to him first.

The next time Natasha went down, all ready to explain texting to the Captain, he was sat in his cream trousers, white t-shirt and dark brown leather jacket, waiting to leave.

Clint had stopped down the day before, telling Steve how Tony talked of 'being disappointed that the man his dad talked about so much was scared to leave his apartment' and how 'he expected better from Captain America, a national hero'. After hearing this, Steve's stubborn side kicked in, and he took it as a challenge to go to Stark Tower, just to prove Tony wrong.

He couldn't understand it, he couldn't explain it, but whenever he thought, drew, or someone mentioned, Tony Stark, his stomach would flip. Steve assumed it was because of how much Tony annoyed him, and how Tony was exactly the type of person Steve didn't like. He assumed this because he couldn't accept any other theory. Not yet…


	2. Chapter 2

Steve followed Natasha as close as he could through the train station without stepping on her. His eyes moved from left to right continuously, nervously checking every person he saw, thinking through several plans of how he could get the public out of danger if anything happened. Natasha turned around, and if Steve didn't have abnormally fast reflexes, he would have continued walking straight into her.

'Captain.' Natasha said in a quiet voice, the same tone she used to talk to Bruce when he got annoyed.

'Yes?' He stood tall and put his hands behind his back, the perfect soldier.

'No, Captain, I didn't mean… Steve. I know what you're doing, and you don't need to do that.'

'Ma'am, with no disrespect, I don't think you know what I'm doing.'

'You're looking around everywhere we go to check all the possible exits, the fastest route to get out, which way you can use to get everybody out in case anything dangerous happens. You won't be thinking about your own safety, just how you can help others. You will have already thought that the corridors out of here are too small for this amount of people to get out of at once, so you will have looked at the windows, easily reachable, you could break them and help people climb out through them. Any other possible exits aren't as good as those two, and these are your most probable. Is that everything, Mr. Rogers?'

Steve stared at Natasha for a moment, eyebrows raised and mouth slightly open in shock. Then he straightened back up into his soldier stance, and nodded his head.

Natasha smiled at him and she turned to carry on walking when Steve said 'You missed the ceiling, ma'am.'

Natasha slowly turned around with her eyes narrowed, but with a twinkle in her eye. When she saw Steve's smile, she allowed a little smile to slip through her mask before she turned back around and they carried on walking.

One hour later, an hour filled with Natasha dragging Steve along and slapping him whenever he let someone go in front of him, they arrived at Stark Towers. As they walked into the building, Natasha was called away on a mission, leaving Steve to go upstairs by himself.

'Good morning Sir, Mr. Stark is currently in the gym.' Jarvis spoke, startling Steve.

'Umm, you're Jarvis? They told me about you! They said you were like a computer with a voice?' Steve questioned, his voice full of wonder.

'That is technically not correct, I am an artificial intelligence, created by Mr Stark.'

'Sorry Jarvis. Which way is it to the gym?'

'Twelfth floor, the elevator is to your left, Sir.'

Steve walked to the elevator, turning around slowly to take in all Tony's belongings. Even the elevator was decorated more than it should have been.

'Typical Stark, always showing off what he's got.' Steve thought bitterly. A second later he felt bad, surprised at himself for thinking such a thing. He couldn't understand what it was about Tony, he just annoyed Steve.

'Why have I even come here?' Steve thought as the elevator doors opened up.

Straight in front of him, laid out on a bench press, was Tony, pushing, what seemed to Steve, an easy amount of weights. He subconsciously licked his lips as he took in the sight of Tony's top sticking to his sweat covered body, defining his muscles.

Steve realised he was staring and snapped out of it. 'Stop what you're doing NOW.' He said in his head.

'Is that all you can do?' He asked Tony.

Tony whipped up, banging his head on the weights bar. Steve started forward, but when he heard 'SHIT!' slip out of Tony's mouth, he laughed. 'You okay?' He asked, choking back the laughter.

'Yes. But… You're here! You came! And all along I thought you wouldn't dare… You surprise me, Captain.'

Steve wasn't sure whether to take this as a compliment, so he just looked down. And noticed that Tony's shorts were just a little bit too tight…

He stood up and sat down on the seat near the punching bag, 'STOP IT!' He shouted in his head. 'Stop what? It wasn't anything wrong-Yes it was and you know it-NO it wasn't, just a general passing-DON'T EVEN LIE TO YOURSELF-There's nothing to lie about.'

Tony interrupted his thoughts. 'If you're so good Captain, show me. Show us all how good the great living legend is.'

Steve looked up at Tony. 'Not everything is a game.'

'Come on Captain, have a bit of fun once in a while. Or have them 70 years finally caught up on you? Did the ice freeze all the fun in your system?'

'Shut up, Stark.'

'Come on, Captain. What's so wrong with having a little bit of fun? What are you so scared of? You never do anything, might as well still be frozen in that ice.'

'Stark, I mean it.'

'Useless, that's all you are. All that time wasted melting you and getting you prepared to wake up, and you still act frozen. Practically dead.'

Steve stood up quickly and punched the punch bag. 'DON'T you mention the ice. It was FREEZING. Feeling my body slowly become NOTHING. Then from that to waking up to THIS. THIS. Everybody, DEAD. Everything is now GONE. I wake up and everybody expects me to just blend in with everybody else, I don't understand this. I don't know this, I don't like this. I have no one, Stark. And you expect me to 'HAVE A LAUGH?'' Steve hit the punch bag with every word. On the last sentence, the punch bag went flying backwards, until it stopped halfway through a wall. Steve turned around to face Tony, 'You don't know what I felt like, then or now, and you don't know how LONELY it is.'

On the word 'Lonely' Steve punched Tony on the jaw. Tony fell back onto the bench press, lost his balance, and fell onto the floor.

'Just admit it.' Steve's mind whispered. 'Never-THERE'S NOTHING TO ADMIT.'

Tony got up as Steve turned away from him. Pushing his jaw to the side with his hand, he said 'Well, I think we might have struck some issues there.'

Steve turned back to Tony, and Tony's stomach flipped. 'Anthony Edward Stark. If you're not going to tell him that it's him that gets your palms all sweaty, at least tell him why you invited him here.' Tony shushed the mental voice, but not before taking its advice.

'That's why I invited you here, you know. This might surprise you, but sometimes I do actually think of others. Well, other people do and they tell me. But it's me that puts these ideas into action.'

'What are you on about Stark?' Steve finally looked him in the eyes, and Tony's stomach flipped again.

'You. All lonely in that little cave, sorry, apartment of yours. I thought you could come live here. Indefinitely.' Tony said in his usual cocky tone.

'Is this another joke I don't understand?' Steve narrowed his eyes in suspicion.

'No, I'm actually being serious. And I could help you get to grips with the current year. Being acquaintances with the cleverest man on the planet does have its upside, you'll figure this out.' Tony winked at Steve. 'Well?'

Steve thought about how to word his sentence. 'I don't… I'm not… All my things, I can't…' Tony raised his eyebrow and waited for Steve to get his thoughts together.

'I don't expect that from anybody and I could never do that, it wouldn't be fair to you, to use so much of your time and belongings.' He finally managed to get out.

'Look at it as I'm taking a leaf out of your book, and helping out somebody who needs the help that I can give.' Steve frowned, so Tony continued. 'You don't have a choice. Effective immediately, you live at Stark Towers. I'll send someone round to get your things. You didn't even have to spend months looking for a new place to move to. Good choice Captain.'

Tony started walking off, and as Steve opened his mouth to say something ('Steve's gorgeous, perfect little mouth.' Tony thought) Tony slapped him on the arse, causing Steve's mouth to drop fully open in surprise, and walked towards the elevator.

'You need to relax, Captain. Open up a bit.'

'That's what I'm afraid of.' Steve thought as he turned and mentally debated which gym equipment he would use first. He needed to let off steam, and this was his only way. He'd repay Stark later, somehow.


	3. Chapter 3

'_**Oh dear lord, do you remember that guy, oh what was his name? In that little town near where we signed up, he told you he was gay thinking you were too!' The soldier playfully punched his friend on the arm.**_

'_**Gay, me? I don't think so. It's disgusting, it's wrong, none of them deserve to live. Liking men, what a joke! Anybody who says that deserves beating up, a beating up we'll happily give them.' He punched his friend back, just a little bit harder.**_

'_**What about that other guy?!'**_

'_**Which one?'**_

'_**The one just the other night! Jesus he wouldn't admit it but his boyfriend was gobbing off enough about it!'**_

'_**I know! Thank God you were there to stop me killing them, or else I would have done. Stupid, good for nothing-'**_

'_**What are you talking about?' Another soldier joined the two sat near the fire, pulling some letters out of his jacket and settling down to read them.**_

'_**Them so called 'Gay people'.' The second soldier said to the new comer.**_

'_**What about them?'**_

'_**Just talking about the one's we lately tried knocking it out of.' The second soldier turned and laughed to the first soldier.**_

'_**Wait… You beat up men?'**_

'_**They're not men! They're gay, they're a disgrace to men, they're disgusting. They should all be burned alive.'**_

'_**Let me get this straight, you're beating up men, if the person they're in love with, is another man?'**_

'_**Yes. I think getting beaten up is pretty god damn luck for them. Deserve a lot worse.'**_

'_**So you keep saying.'**_

'_**Why are so uptight about it anyway?' The first soldier leaned into the conversation more, narrowing his eyes at the newcomer.**_

'_**Just think what you're doing is harsh. How would you like it?'**_

'_**Well I would bloody well hope someone would knock the hell out of me if I were one of them! I wouldn't want to carry on living, bloody revolting, being with another man! It's sick-'**_

'_**You're one of them, aren't you?' The first soldier cut off the second.**_

'_**Wha-What?' The newcomer started to get up. 'Even if I were, it shouldn't make any difference.'**_

_**The other two soldiers stood up at this.**_

'_**THE HELL IT DOES MAKE A DIFFERENCE!'**_

'_**James, calm down, you'll attract the general!' The first soldier whispered.**_

'_**I SHOULD HOPE IT DOES! HE'LL AGREE WITH ME! A gay, in this team with me, SLEEPING IN THE SAME ROOM, SHARING THE SAME SHOWERS! You like it don't you, YOU FREAK!' James took a step towards the third soldier, hand raised.**_

'_**I wouldn't do that if I were you.' Steve placed his hand over James' raised fist. 'Go now, before the general comes. Don't need to cause trouble where it isn't needed.'**_

'_**Shove off twinketoes, go make another outfit to prance around in… Wait, you… Well, it wouldn't surprise me… You are too, aren't you?'**_

'_**I am what?' Steve asked, confused.**_

'_**What's going on here?' The general appeared.**_

_**All four soldiers went in a line, standing with hands at their sides, awaiting instructions.**_

'_**Rogers! You're supposed to be getting ready for the show, get going!' The general's lip curved at the word 'show'.**_

'_**Yes sir!' Steve walked in line with the general, giving a backwards glance to see James storming off to a group of soldiers, and seeing the third soldier hesitate, unsure of where to walk to and what to do.**_

'_**ROGERS!' Steve ran inside.**_

_**Just before Steve got on stage, the general came striding up to him.**_

'_**No show tonight, Rogers. The boys decided to fight each other, put one soldier in hospital!'**_

_**Steve looked shocked for a second. 'Sir, was it James?'**_

'_**James? In hospital? Don't be ridiculous! From what I've gathered, James was the one who started the fight, getting all the soldiers to beat up this kid.'**_

'_**What was it about, sir?'**_

'_**Some rumours went around about him being gay, I say good on them. That's not happening, not on my watch.'**_

'_**Sir! They're still people, regardless of who they love-'**_

'_**I won't stand any of that. You're 'Captain America', you're supposed to be the face of this war, you can't be going off supporting men being with men, it's… Vile.'**_

'_**But sir-'**_

'_**No Rogers. Not another word. Get changed and go to your next show.'**_

'_**Yes, sir.' Steve looked down, curling his hand into a fist.**_

'_**And Rogers?'**_

'_**Yes, sir?' **_

'_**I hear one word about you defending some gay worm, going off about them being people too, or that you've been joining in on their fun, you're gone. Not just from the program. Gone. I didn't ask for you, I don't want you and I certainly won't put up with any crap from you, boy. You are not, will not be, and can not be, so called 'gay'. It's wrong and it's a disgrace to the name of the army, all these rumours.' The general turned away and walked off, probably to shout at someone else.**_

_**Steve turned around and, out of nowhere, a fist came flying out. Catching him square on the jaw, he fell off balance long enough for two soldiers to put their arms underneath his arms. 'Probably James and his gang' Steve thought as he was dragged along the ground.**_

Steve woke up, flashes going through his mind; The group of soldiers beating him up, fists coming down on his face clouding his vision; words being shouted at him 'gay', 'twinkletoes', 'fag'; memories of waking up the next morning and there being no bruises, the work of the serum. But that didn't stop the gang, every night they worked on him, but he always healed too fast for any permanent damage, until they were shipped off back onto the front line.

Steve shook his head, clearing away the past and bringing himself to the present. 'It's not like that anymore. There's nothing wrong with being gay now. Just admit it.'

Steve looked in the mirror opposite his bed. He stared at his reflection, his normally not-a-hair-out-of-place comb over was tousled, messy. Sweat covered his face and body, and his cheeks were flushed.

'I need a drink.' Steve got up, taking off his sweat-covered top, thinking no one would be up still at four in the morning, and as quietly as he could, made his way down to the kitchen.

He'd only been staying with Tony a few days, but he already knew his way around the kitchen so he didn't bother turning the light on. Moving around in the dark, he grabbed a glass and the milk from the fridge.

'Sure you don't want anything stronger?' Tony's voice rung out.

'STARK!' Steve shouted as he dropped his glass, only just catching it before it hit the floor.

'Lights, Jarvis.' Tony said, and when the lights came on Steve got a good look at him.

'Stark, how long you been down here?' Steve took in Tony's dark bags under his eyes, his dirty shirt, the nearly empty bottle of whisky sitting very close to Tony's hand.

'Eyes off soldier! This is mine, get your own.' Tony swept his arm along the table, bringing the bottle of whisky closer to him. Tony's voice was rough, almost strained. 'Oh wait, kinda pointless for you, isn't it? Super soldier and all that.'

Steve smiled slightly, his eyes never leaving Tony, taking in all he could. 'Stark, I think it's time for bed.'

'Why are you so good, Steve? My dad, all he cared about was you, even when I was born, after I was born, no matter what I did, he still talked all about you. He still went looking for you, he never gave up. He told everybody about how he knew the great Captain America, how he was friends with the legend. He told me about you, and he had so much respect for you, the man who came from nothing. I could never gain that respect from him. And I tried to. He just didn't care.'

Steve stared, mouth open, shocked. He mentally shook himself.

'He was a private man. He never told me he thought of me as a friend, I thought he hated me! He loved you Tony-' Tony looked up at Steve addressing him by his first name.

'Wow, first time ever, Cap. What's going on? No wait, let me guess… Looking kind of messed up.' Tony stared at Steve, trying to figure out what was wrong, but then he shook his head and downed the last part of the whiskey.

'Never mind about me, time to get you into bed.'

'Into bed? Sure you've got your words right there, soldier?' Tony clumsily winked at Steve, and Steve turned bright red. 'It's almost too easy…' Tony muttered as he tried to get off of his chair, and slipped off it instead.

Steve lunged forward, catching him and standing him upright.

'Bed, now.' Steve said.

They adjusted their stance, Steve's arm was around Tony's waist, and his other hand was grasping Tony's wrist, which was around Steve's bare shoulders.

'Nice body you got there, Rogers.'

'Say that when you're sober, Stark.'

'Well I think it enough.' This caused Steve to turn pink. 'Way too easy.' Tony muttered again. 'Why are you here anyway? What's got you in a state, been having wet dreams big boy?'

'Stark!' Steve spluttered, his face bright red.

'Seriously though, I've never seen you like this. All… Messy. Indulge me, explain to me what gets the great legend Captain America all hot and flustered.'

Steve gritted his teeth, 'Just a nightmare.'

'What about?' Tony's voice was noticeably softer.

'A few of the numerous times I got beat up, nothing important.'

'What did you do? Here I was thinking nothing scared you, must be something special to give you nightmares.'

'I wouldn't say special. More like discriminative violence. I hate bullies.'

'Discriminative… Key word there, Rogers. Now no one's started a fight with you since you took that magic serum, raised in the 1930's and 40's… I'm guessing you stuck up for someone you shouldn't have done, and it didn't go down well with the bullies?'

'Well done Stark. Making everything a joke, you turn a horrific nightmare into a guessing game.'

They stopped at Tony's bedroom door, and Tony leant against his bedroom door, his face serious.

'What was it really about?'

Steve frowned, undecided of whether or not to open up to Tony Stark. He took a deep breath.

'The army soldiers didn't look too kindly on gay men. The generals didn't either. I stopped a man getting beat up, for the gang to attack him later on. When they put him in the hospital, they turned on me. Never could leave any damage though, serum works wonders on injuries.' Steve rushed out his words, then looking down at his hands.

'Is this why you're so against the gay jokes?'

'Maybe. Yes. I don't know.'

'It would make sense. And if you were gay, that would make even more sense. A sexually confused granddad, nice.'

'Stark, not tonight.' Steve rolled his eyes.

'Why not, Steve? Why not tonight? Just say it, just once and you can go. Admit it, you're big enough and old enough now, soldier. Just say you're ga-'

Steve leaned into Tony and pressed his lips against the other man's mouth, cutting off all words. They stayed there, Tony leant against his bedroom door, Steve leaning into him, kissing, just kissing and marvelling at how _right _this felt and questioning why it hadn't happened sooner.

Steve ran his hands over Tony's chest, barely catching his thumb on Tony's arc reactor through his shirt, but Tony noticed it anyway. He automatically pushed away, looked down at his chest, then looked up at Steve.

'Sorry, I always-'

Steve cut him off. 'This is wrong.'

'What?!' Tony exclaimed. 'Wrong?! This is the only thing that's felt right in a long time.'

'No, no no!' Steve backtracked quickly. 'I didn't mean that! I meant, you're drunk! This isn't fair, you should be sober for this!' Steve pushed off of the door and took a step back. He hesitated as Tony raised his eyebrow.

Steve darted forward, his lips barely touching Tony's before he moved away.

'Tomorrow?' Tony questioned, unsure of what had just happened.

'Tomorrow.' Steve promised with a smile, the argument about what had just happened already going on in his head.


	4. Chapter 4

Steve looked at the tv, a deep thrown on his face.

'Erm.. Jarvis?' The uncertainty in Steve's voice was easily noticeable.

'Yes, Mr Rogers?' Jarvis' fluent voice came out of the darkness.

Steve stopped, he still hadn't got used to the whole computer-with-a-voice thing. He still hadn't got used to the whole computer thing. Or electronics. It was Jarvis who turned everything on for him that he could, the only thing Jarvis couldn't work for Steve was his phone, which Tony had given him, because Tony wanted Steve to work it himself.

'Jarvis, explain love to me.'

'I don't think I can do that, Sir.'

Steve's frown deepened. 'What does love mean?'

'Would you like me to give you the definition from Wikipedia, Sir?' Steve's uncertainty had now spread to Jarvis.

'Erm… I don't know.' Steve had no idea what Wikipedia was, but he recalled Clint mentioning it last week to him. 'Yes please?'

'"Love is an emotion of a strong affection and personal attachment. Love refers to a variety of different feelings, states, and attitudes, ranging from pleasure "I loved that meal" to interpersonal attraction "I love my partner". "Love" may refer specifically to the passionate desire and intimacy of romantic love, to sexual love, to the emotional closeness of familial love, to the platonic love that defines friendship, or to the profound oneness or devotion of religious love, or to a concept of love that encompasses all of those feelings. This diversity of uses and meanings, combined with the complexity of the feelings involved, makes love unusually difficult to consistently define, compared to other emotional states." Does that help in any way, Sir?'

'I'd say yes, but I'm still confused. I'm so sorry, Jarvis.' Steve's voice rung with sorrow.

'Perhaps you should talk to Mr Stark about the matter?'

'I would, I'd actually love to, but a certain Mr Stark is avoiding me and has locked himself in his lab for the past… When was the last time me and him, er, spoke, Jarvis?' Steve flushed, his entire face a dark shade of pink.

'The last time you and Mr Stark conversed was Thursday night, Sir, four nights ago.'

'Thank you Jarvis.' Steve muttered.

It was quiet for a moment. 'Mr Stark has not left his room, even to go to the events he said he would go to. Which is a rare promise.'

Steve's guilt doubled.

'What were these events, Jarvis?'

'Two charity raises on Friday and Saturday night, and one party on Sunday night.'

'Charity raises?' Steve groaned, his guilt tripling.

'Does he have any events planned for tonight?' Steve almost daren't ask the question.

'Yes sir, an auction for a charity in the name of people with cancer.'

'I have to get him out of there.' Steve whispered.

As Steve walked down to the basement, he thought of how there was more to Tony that what he had first thought. Tony was arrogant, and stubborn, and cocky, and selfish, but he was generous to those who needed it, rude to those who deserved it, and hidden away behind his persona to everyone. He's not the type of person who goes through plans to figure out which one's best, he's the type who sees a solution and does it straight away, no matter what the consequences. Tony was better than a lot of people, one of the best, and he knew it, but for the wrong reasons.

Steve stopped in front of the glass door between him and Tony, who was underneath some type of machinery. Steve looked at the keypad that appeared out of nowhere on the glass, suspicious and unsure of what to do. He knocked on the window, knowing full well that Tony wouldn't be able to hear him over the noise he had playing.

'Jarvis, can you help me please?' Steve asked, looking up at the ceiling, and immediately hearing the noise from inside the room stop.

Tony pushed himself out from underneath the car he was working on. 'Jarvis, what are you doing?' Clearly annoyed, Tony brushed his hand against his clothes, trying to wipe off all the dirt.

'Mr Rogers wants to see you.'

'Not happening.' Tony spoke fast. 'Tell him I'm busy and show him the microwave, that'll distract him for a while.'

'Hey!' Steve said from outside the glass, his brow already furrowed at the word 'microwave'.

'Remind me to make that glass soundproof next week Jarvis.' Tony muttered quietly.

'Yes, sir. May I suggest that you speak to Mr Rogers about the issue you are having-'

'Mute.' Tony snapped. He opened the glass door, and walked back off towards the car.

'Stark-'

'Oh back to Stark are we? Damn I thought we were doing so well.'

'_Tony_-'

'How quick your feelings change for me, is this why you're here now?' Tony turned and looked Steve square in the eyes.

Steve flinched. '_What_?' Confusion written all over his face.

'What do you want, Rogers?'

'That's what you're going to do? Call me Rogers, pretend like nothing happened, act like-'

'You said it was wrong!' Tony spluttered out.

'Yes, because you were drunk! I didn't want…' Steve stopped talking, his loud voice quickly decreased in volume. 'I didn't want the first time I kiss you, for your reaction not to be how you truly felt.'

'You think drink affects me enough to do something I wouldn't do sober?' Tony asked, clearly finding the thought hilarious.

'Clint told me you once got drunk and went to the toilet _in your suit_, so yes I do think drink clouds your judgement.' Steve snapped back at Tony.

'Whatever. Doesn't matter. Is there a reason you came here?' Tony's face was now blank.

'Why are you avoiding me?'

'Next question.'

Steve narrowed his eyes.

'Fine,' Steve said through gritted teeth. 'What does 'love' mean?'

Tony looked at him in surprise. 'Love?'

'Yes, love. There was this thing on that… Telepicture… Thing upstairs. It was about, erm, sex,' Steve flushed for the second time that night, 'but the people weren't in love? I don't understand it.'

'I'll be damned. Captain America doesn't understand a fling.' Tony chuckled as Steve's face burned more than before until Tony took pity on him. 'Alright, alright. Sex isn't always love. Not anymore. It might have been in your day-'

'Oh there definitely was… That, but it was rare. A disgrace upon the family, and if the girl ended up pregnant, she would be disowned. I never agreed with that consequence but…' Steve shrugged his shoulders and looked up at Tony again, his face pleading to understand.

'Well, nowadays it's a lot more common. Sex without love happens all the time. Could happen tonight if you wanted it to. Just go to the right bar and there you go. In fact, there's more sex without love than sex with love. Jarvis Is that true?'

'Statistics would support your theory, Sir.' Jarvis' voice caused Tony to remember why he was mad at him and Tony frowned.

'Look, Tony-' Steve began.

'Oh don't give me the emotional talk, Capsicle. Go play with the iPod Clint gave you, see if you can actually turn it on.' Tony turned and walked towards the car again.

'No Tony.' Steve clenched his jar and stood in front of Tony. 'You are listening to me now. I have more reason than you have to hide right now, and yet here you are, avoiding me, all because of a kiss?' Steve's brow furrowed again. 'I mean, if you didn't want it to happen, I'm sorry.' Steve looked down at his hands, lost his confidence, and walked away, leaving Tony stood alone in his lab, frowning.

Steve was in the kitchen when Tony's voice made him jump.

'You think I'm avoiding you because of the kiss?' Tony's voice made the idea seem ludicrous.

'Why else would you be?' Steve asked, still avoiding Tony's eyes. He grabbed a glass off the drying rack and rubbed it with the towel. 'I'm sorry, I should have thought earlier, you didn't want me to, you're not like that, I'm really sorry Tony.'

'Steve, shut up.'

Steve looked up and watched Tony walk towards him, and plant a kiss straight on his lips. Steve put his hand on Tony's waist and forgot all about everything he had to say.

Tony pulled away only slightly so he was still close. 'You know, you're not the sharpest tool in the toolbox.' He sighed.

'I don't understand that one.' Steve whispered, half joking, half serious.

'I'm not avoiding you because of the kiss. I liked the kiss, I want more of them. It's what I said before.' Tony squirmed in Steve's arms.

'Before…?' Steve questioned, trying to remember anything Tony could be upset about besides the kiss.

'What I told you, about my dad, I don't do… Sharing.' Tony scrunched up his nose and Steve nodded.

'Okay, personal issues, too personal. Understood.' Steve smiled and kissed Tony.

'Get a room guys.' Natasha joked as her and Clint came into the kitchen.

'Don't interrupt them! We can film them and sell it, make a fortune!' Clint nudged her and whipped out his phone, holding it at different angles to see which one you could get the most lip action from.

Steve pushed Tony away slightly, his face already burning pink.

Tony rolled his eyes, grabbed Steve's hand and pulled him towards the living room. 'I'm going to kill you later, Barton. I'll turn off the air conditioning and leave you with no air in the vents, serves you right for climbing around in them.' He muttered to Clint as he walked past him.

'You say it like that's a problem for me.' Clint yawned and walked to the fridge.

'Jarvis, let the people know I'm not going to the auction tonight.' Tony said in a bored voice.

'Tony!' Steve nearly shouted, his eyes wide in shock.

'What? Jeez Captain, keep your suit on! Hmm, now that's a thought…' Tony winked at Steve, who hadn't quite recovered from his last flush and turned pink all over again.

Tony laughed. 'Send the charity £10,000 and one of the cars. Not my favourite though Jarvis, or I swear I will change your voice to a high pitch Jamaican woman.'


End file.
